GIZ improves integrity in Water Stewardship

GIZ launched a joint project with WIN and the CEO Water Mandate to improve integrity and transparency of multi-stakeholder water stewardship partnerships. The project will assess integrity risks in five pilot countries active in the African Water Stewardship Initiative which aims at improving the adaptability of water users to the impacts of climate change through private-sector participation. Based on these findings as well as an extensive review of other partnerships, the project will develop a set of minimum standards and guidelines for managing integrity and ensuring transparency in water stewardship partnerships and similar multi-stakeholder processes in the water sector.

The project is part of wider efforts by GIZ in supporting the sector in further mainstreaming water integrity, e.g. through the piloting of the water integrity management toolbox in water companies in Kenya, as well as a project to improve integrity management in water utilities in the MENA region, specifically Morocco and Tunisia. Several GIZ programmes also work on establishing consumer complaint mechanisms in the water sector (e.g. Egypt, Zambia, Kenya).

Within the project to improve integrity management in water utilities in the MENA region, GIZ (in cooperation with WIN) organized a training of trainers on water integrity for regional trainers and experts. As a follow up, GIZ and the regional trainers are currently developing a manual to guide on the ground trainings within the utilities. At a later point, this manual will be available in English, French and Arabic.

Water Integrity concepts

Accountability is a broad concept that entails several dimensions and is often used in different ways. Some see it as a mechanism to hold people and institutions accountable, whereas others may see it as a concept referring to the actual application and implementation of rules and standards.

Participation can refer to water-users rights and responsibilities to play a role in the water sector decision-making process and in holding officials and those in public service to account.

Transparency refers to the right of citizens to access relevant information. Openness and public access to information are vital, so that water-users can understand the decision-making processes that affect them. This makes citizens knowledgeable about the standards to expect from public officials and enables them to protect their rights.